Articles tagged with: Conservation
Conservation
Posted: Aug 8, 2010
Conservation Pittosporum seeds eaten by rats Along with its world-class showcase of biology, evolution, geology, and astronomy, Hawaii has also gained the regrettable reputation as the endangered species capital of the world. Conservationists consider Hawaii to be at the forefront of the global...Continue Reading »
A Natural Image
Posted: Aug 8, 2010
Hawaii is one of the best known places on earth. People everywhere dream of a once-in-a-lifetime vacation to our Islands. I suspect most perceptions of Hawaii are similar to what mine was before moving here-white sand beaches, coconut trees swaying in the breeze, and aqua-blue, bath-tub warm...Continue Reading »
Tour of a Plant Museum
Posted: Aug 8, 2010
I remember my first visit into a world-class museum. It was the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco. I cannot recall what works of art I saw, nor even the artists. Nevertheless, I remember the great sense of anticipation I felt. I remember the immaculate polished floors, the immense scale of...Continue Reading »
The Essence of Honeycreeperness
Posted: Aug 8, 2010
Iiwi Photo by Jack Jeffrey Once Hawaii was for the birds. Before the arrival of humans, it was birds, not mammals, which dominated the environment. Today Hawaii’s native forest birds are disappearing. Nearly half of the 140 bird species that were known from historic times are extinct and over 50...Continue Reading »
A Founder Effect
Posted: Aug 8, 2010
Founder effect: Combination of genetic drift and natural selection resulting in a new genetic direction for a small population or individual in a new environment. (Dictionary of Biology, E. Martin 1986) My first lesson in Hawaii was about dirt. Soil development to be more precise. Like many who...Continue Reading »
Creative Isolation
Posted: Aug 8, 2010
This summer the Pope and I came to an understanding. If you account for a Supreme Being, he said, the Vatican doesn’t have a problem with evolutionary theory. He went further to suggest that to view “life in terms of an ‘ongoing creation’ is a scenario that makes increasing sense, scientifically...Continue Reading »
Extinction at a Snail’s Pace
Posted: Oct 10, 2010
Most people are not fond of snails. Snails are known as serious garden and agricultural pests. Some like to eat them, but most of us think of them as slimy critters. The native Hawaiian snails however deserve a second look. While one type of native Hawaiian snail is affectionately called “Snot...Continue Reading »
